TRAGIC movie heart throb Patrick Swayze has admitted he is losing his battle with cancer and has given up on treatment, telling fans he is going through hell.

A year on from being diagnosed with late-stage pancreatic cancer, the Dirty Dancing star has admitted that he might have only two years to live. Swayze is said to have stopped chemotherapy after doctors told him there was nothing more they could do.

A friend of 56-year-old Swayze says he is determined to die with his boots on and no regrets. A friend told a US magazine: "We are down to the wire and the goal now is to keep Patrick comfortable.

"His condition is inoperable and they have stopped the chemo. He's still losing weight and he's very weak. He's taking morphine. That and the cigarettes seem to keep him functioning through the pain."

Swayze recently admitted in his first interview since his diagnosis to battling with his emotions, going from determined one minute to angry the next."You can bet that I'm going through hell," he told US talk show host Barbara Walters. "And I've only seen the beginning of it. There's a lot of fear here. There's a lot of stuff going on. Yeah, I'm scared. Yeah, I'm angry. Yeah, I'm asking, 'Why me?'.

The acknowledgment that time is running out is a move away from the upbeat approach the star has adopted in previous months. The star has already outlived the six-month prog-nosis normally given to those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The disease, which manifests itself as a malignant tumour of the pancreas, is a particularly aggressive and difficult form of cancer to treat, and remission is extremely rare. It is said to have spread to the actor's pancreas via his lungs. In a sign that he had been preparing for the worst, the actor drew up a legally binding living trust last year, which places all his assets in the hands of his wife and sets out his wishes for the final stages of his life and the handling of his funeral.

Swayze was admitted to hospital with pneumonia earlier this month, despite being in constant demand for work. He was discharged on January 16, but friends say the chest infection left him severely weakened. In a recent interview, Swayze spoke about his prognosis and his hopes for the future, thanking his wife, Lisa Niemi, 52, for standing by him. He said: "I'd say five years is wishful thinking. Two years seems likely, if you're going to believe the statistics. There's more I want to do. Lots more. I want to last until they find a cure." Just weeks ago, the star was still hopeful, saying he would not give up without a fight.

"Watch me," he said. "You watch what I can pull off."